Walter d



(No Model.) W. D. KIMBALL.

UMBRELLA. No. 526,155. Patented Sept. 18,1894.

.iff/Irl UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER D. KIMBALL, OF EUSTIS, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO i VILLIAM Il.` MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

UlVIBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 526,155, dated September 18, 1894; Application led December 12, 1893. Serial No. 493,496- (No model.)

To all whom it may concer-n,.- t

Be itknown that I, WALTER D. KIMEALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eustis, in the county of Lake and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Um E rella, of which the following is a specificalon.

p My invention relates to improvements in t umbrellas, and has particular reference to imro provernents in the catches thereof of the runners the objects in view being to produce a catch forretainingthe u mbrella open orclosed the construction of the catch being such as to prevent any accidental disengagement and I5 hence closing ofthe umbrella by pressure against the top thereof, as for instance, by a strong wind, and yet to obviate the necessity of employing a strong spring-pressed, difficult to manipulate catch; and finally, to rezo inforce the stick above and below7 the runner when the latter is in the position it occupies when the umbrella is open and the stick therefore subjected to strain.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed outin the claim.

Referring to the drawingsz-Figure 1 is a perspective view of an umbrella-frame emgo bodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectionalview through the upper portion of the stick and the runner. Fig. 3 isa similar view through the lower portion of the stick and the runner.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the `figures of the drawings.

t The stick l is provided adjacent to its handle or lower part with a tight `fitting sleeve 2, the same having at its upper end a bev` `4o eled rib 3, whose under side forms an abrupt 6X, and thesaid shoulder has its lower side externally reduced or beveled, as shown.

8 designates the upper stationary ring secured to the stick in the usual manner and of the ordinary construction, and from the same radiate the usual ribs 9.

The runner 10 is slightly less in length than is the sleeve and loosely its over-the same, so that when in position upon the sleeve the bead 6 thereof forms a stop-flange for the up- 6o per end of the runner and the lower end of 3 the sleeve is below that ofthe runner, wherel by the latter bears only upon the sleeve. The `upper end of the runner is provided with the `usual annularflange 11, from which radiate the braces l2 pivotally connected at their outer ends to the ribs. t

The runner is provided at one side and below its center with an opening surrounded by an off-standing U-shaped guardflange 13, 7o and between the outer edges of the flange of said opening there is pivoted, at 14:, between its ends, a catch-lever 15, tho same having its i upper end terminating in a thumb-plate 16 between which and the runner a light coiledspring 17 is interposed, one end of said catch lever being shaped to normally register within the flange 13, that protects the lever from accidental injury and forms the pivotal support therefor. The lower inner side of this 8o catch-lever is provided with aright augularly disposed head or lug 518, the same having a square lower portion provided with an upper beveled end or corner, so that when the runner moves upward upon the stick and over the sleeve the beveled portion will ride over the lower beveled end of the sleeve and when the head of the lever arrives above the abrupt shoulder xthe spring heretofore nien-4 tioned will cause the head of the lever to en- 9c gage with said shoulder, and hence prevent a downward movement upon the part of the runner. It will be seen that when in this position the locking of the lever does not dei pend upon the spring but against a binding action of the lever against the sleeve, and

the greater the'force appliedto the top of the umbrella, as in the act of closing the same,

as for instance, when going against the wind and also under the normal spring tension of roo the ribs, the greater will be the binding. On the other hand by a light pressure ofthe thumb against the thumb-plate i6 the spring will yield readily and permit of a disengagement of the head of the lever with the shonlder and the runner will glide down the stick and over the lower sleeve, engaging with the shoulder 4 of the latter and serving to secure the umbrella in a closed position. As is well known, one of the greatest strains to which an umbrella is subjected is at the point that the runner bears upon the stick, and it is therefore one of the prime objects of my invention to reinforce the stick at this point, so that sudden gusts of wind which twist the frame will not cause the runner to snap the stick at this point, but bearing upon the metal sleeve the pressure will be resisted successfully and no accident can occur thereby.

' From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen thatI have provided a very simple con struction of fastening means for umbrella frames, the same being capable of locking the frame either open or closed in an efticient manner and successfully against any strong winds or sudden gusts that maybe met with; andthat I have strengthened the stick at its weakest point against any sudden snapping.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The combination with an umbrella stick; of a rigid reinforcing metal sleeve fitted tight on the stick and provided at its upper end with a stop flange 6, reduced or tapered adjacent to its lower end, and beveled below such reduced portion to form an abrupt catch shoulder, a runner loosely fitting the sleeve and shorter than the same so as to have no bearing on the stick at this point, said runner being provided at one side with an opening and an offstanding U-shaped guard ange surrounding the opening, an inverted catch lever pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends within said guard ange and shaped to register with said flange, which flange prevents lateral movement of the leverY so that the pivot thereof is reinforced and.

prevented from loosening, the said lever being provided at one end with a right angularly disposed catch head or lug adapted to engage the catch shoulder of said sleeve, and at its other end with a thumb plate, and a spring interposed between the thumb plate of the catch lever and the runner, said catch head being held in binding engagement with said catch shoulder and prevented from disenfgagement therewith by the normal downward pressure exerted on the runner by the ribs and stretchers, irrespective of the action of the spring, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as1 my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

"WALTER D. KIMBALL. Witnesses:

GUY HUTCHINGS, CARRIE J. I-IUToHIsoN. 

